Albus Potter and the Legend
by Sacred's Thoughts
Summary: Albus Potter has never heard of The Boy Who Lived or The Chosen One. He has never known his father as the famous wizard who defeated Lord Voldemort. Now he is starting at Hogwarts and he is about to learn the truth.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the world of Harry Potter; I just love to write about the amazing characters.**

Chapter 1 – Platform 9 ¾

Albus Potter's stomach did a flip as he looked across the street at King's Cross train station. Today was September first and he and his family were headed to Platform 9 ¾ so the he could catch the Hogwarts express for his first year of school at the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Albus was eleven and had received his letter for Hogwarts only a few months ago. Of course he had known that we would be going there ever since he was able to turn a frog into a sweet and then back again when his mother had caught him at age three. But even though he knew he was supposed to go, that didn't mean that he wasn't nervous about everything that he would have to do. His brother had told him all of the tests that first years were put through to make sure they belonged there. Apparently you have to battle a large spider or snake, or you had to make it past a tree called the Whompimg Willow that tried to kill you with it's branches.

For the past week Albus had hardly been able to sleep a wink, the possible tests running through his head again and again.

As they walked through the entrance of the station he vaguely heard his sister Lily cry about wanting to go too, before his brother James leaned in and whispered, "You know you might be in Slytherin?" Albus whipped his head around to face his brother.

"I won't! I won't be in Slytheirn!" Tears of nerves and frustration prickled his eyes.

"James," their mother said behind them, "give it a rest!"

"I only said he might be," Albus was irritated to see the smirk that James gave him, "There's nothing wrong with that. He _might_ be in Slyth-" He fell silent when Ginny gave him her warning look.

James slumped his shoulders as his brother confidently ran towards the barrier, pushing his trolley before him. He vanished and Albus turned up to his parents, taking advantage of his brother's absence.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" he was embarrassed to hear a note of childish pleading enter his voice.

"Everyday if you want." His mother smiled warmly down at him.

Albus, feeling like a baby, replied quickly, "Not _every_ day. James says most people only get letters from home once a month." He could picture his brother's smirk at getting a letter a day from "Mummy and Daddy".

"We wrote to James three times a week last year," Albus felt a moment of triumph over his older brother, until his nerves twisted his stomach again.

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," his father, Harry, added, "He likes a laugh, your brother."

Safely between his parents with his sister clutching the trolley handle on the other side of Ginny, the four of them strode through the barrier.

Albus had been to Platform 9 ¾ last year to send his brother off to his first year, but at the time he felt the pangs of anticipation for a far off event. Now the reality of his situation made his shoulders sag further.

They continued down the platform. Albus was squinting through the mist trying to spot his best friend, who also happened to be his cousin, Rose.

"Where are they?" Albus kept trying to look through the mist that was rising from the train.

"We'll find them." His mother laid a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him.

They kept walking until Ginny pointed ahead of them, "I think that's them Al." Albus spotted the indistinct forms of a group of four. Their faces broke into smiles when they finally stood in front of each other. Albus' Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, cousin and best friend Rose and her younger brother Hugo stood by their own trolley that carried Rose's trunk and a basket that Albus suspected carried the cat she had so proudly picked on their combined trip to Diagon Alley.

"Hi," Albus tried to keep the nerves out of his voice, and already at seeing his best friend his stomach was starting to untwist into its normal shape. Rose grinned and swished her robes so Albus noticed she was already wearing her school robes.

They began chattering as their parents greeted each other and started lifting their trunks onto the train. Hugo and Lily began talking about which houses they would be in. The adults came back half way through, brushing their hands off and laughing at something.

Having caught the end of what Lily and Hugo were saying, Hugo's father, Ron clapped a hand on his shoulder and said, "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you, but no pressure."

"Ron!" Hermione swatted her husband and scowled at him.

Albus' stomach dropped a little lower at this, and looking over at Rose he could tell that she felt the same way.

"He doesn't mean it," both Hermione and Ginny stroked their children's heads.

Their fathers went off to the side and Rose whispered to Albus, "What if we aren't in Gryffindor? Our _entire_ family has been! What will we do?"

Albus couldn't answer because a lump had formed in his throat.

"So that's little Scorpius," the voice of Rose's father brought them back to the conversation their parents were having. Harry and Ron had rejoined them and were looking down the platform at a boy with white blonde hair and a haughty expression. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains." Albus saw Rose puff up at her father's praise.

"Ron, for heaven's sake don't turn them against each other before they've even started school!" Hermione frowned at her husband again.

"You're right, sorry," But unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood."

"Hey!" Albus' stomach dropped for what felt like the thousandth time when his brother reappeared. He braced himself for whatever comment he made. But James' mind was on something else entirely.

"Teddy's back there," Teddy was their god brother, his father, Harry's godson. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? _Snogging Victoire_!"

Everyone stood there waiting for him to continue. James looked disappointed that his announcement hadn't made more of an impact.

"_Our_ Teddy! _Teddy Lupin_! Snogging _our_ Victoire! _Our_ cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them?' said Ginny. "You are _so_ like Ron-"

"-and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's _snogging_ her!" James looked around at everyone trying to emphasize his point.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" Lily beamed and bounced on her toes. "Teddy would _really_ be part of the family then!"

"He already comes around for dinner about four times a week," said Harry. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" James cheered, and Albus silently agreed. "I don't mind sharing with Al – Teddy could have my room!" This, Albus didn't agree with.

"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."

His father said things like this every once in a while that Albus wondered about. He was very touchy about his children having decent size rooms and absolutely no hand-me-downs. But Albus just shrugged and let it go.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board." Harry said, still looking at his watch.

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny hugged James and then held him out in front of her.

"Mum! I can't give a Professor _love_!"

"But you know Neville –"

James squirmed out of his mother's grasp. "Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him _love_…"

Albus watched his brother sigh at his mother and then turn to face him. He managed to avoid a kick aimed at him by James and then his brother walked past.

"See you later Al. Watch out for Thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? _You said they were invisible_!"

James laughed, said goodbye to his parents and then disappeared onto the train to find his friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," His father told him firmly. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to the school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

His mother leant over and kissed him on the top of the head, giving him a hug at the same time.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Al," his father said as his hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone 'til you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

Albus took a deep breath and quietly breathed his deepest fear.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?"

Harry knelt down and Albus stared into his father's eyes, eyes that looked exactly like his own.

"Albus Severus," his father kept his voice low, which Albus appreciated. "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But _just say_ –"

"- Then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?" Albus felt a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders.

"It did for me," Harry smiled as the relief on his son's face showed.

Feeling considerably lighter hearted, Albus jumped onto the train and joined Rose in her compartment, and then they both stuck their heads out the window. He looked around and noticed some of the students in the train had their noses pressed up against the glass staring at their family members still on the platform.  
"Why are they all staring?" Albus asked his father.

"Don't let it worry you," his uncle said casually. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

Albus, Lily, Rose and Hugo all laughed. But Albus felt like that wasn't entirely a joke.

Rose and Albus waved enthusiastically at their parents until the platform became a blur through all of the steam from the train. When finally nothing could be seen of the station anymore they pulled their upper bodies into their compartment and sat down opposite each other.

Smiling grimly at his best friend he leaned back in his seat and let the feeling of homesickness wash over him.

**A/N: Hey everyone, so this chapter is almost exactly like Rowling's and then I'm going to continue with my own work from here. Obviously I'll just borrowing her stuff from the epilogue in the seventh book, so I hope you enjoy my take on it. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ok so this is where we get into my own artistic interpretation of after the Epilogue. I hope everyone enjoys :D**

Chapter 2 – The Sorting Hat

Rose and Albus had been alone in their compartment for only a few moments when the door burst open. Moushi, Albus' owl hooted in annoyance at the load noise and Rose's cat Thimble who she had let out of his basket, hissed. A boy with blonde hair and a big nose and a small girl with black hair crashed through the door and rushed to sit behind Albus and Rose, who both sat there stunned. A moment later an older student stumbled past the door and shouted something that the four inside couldn't properly hear. He opened their compartment and spotting the blonde boy grew red in the face.

"You little piece of – " he started.

"Is there a problem here?" A voice asked form behind the older boy.

The boy shifted and Albus spotted his cousin Victoire standing behind him.

"Victoire! I… I… he made me puke slugs!" The boy finally managed to get out. His face had turned even redder from the presence of Albus and Rose's beautiful cousin.

"Albus, Rose, is this true? Did you see what happened?" They both shook their heads.

"I ran in here after." The blonde boy squeaked from behind Albus.

"So can you explain what happened?" Victoire spoke more kindly upon hearing his nervousness.

"All I was doing was trying out my wand." He held his dark wand between two fingers like it was going to bite. "I guess I flicked it too hard, and the spell sort of shot out into the corridor, and…" He gestured towards the older boy as an explanation of what happen, because right at that moment the boy heaved and a large green slug slid out of his mouth.

"Ew!" Rose lurched back farther away from the slug squirming on the floor. The black haired girl also pulled her feet further away.

Victoire just put her hand on her hip, and mumbled something as she flicked her wand at the boy.

"Derek, obviously it was an accident," She said after the boy, Derek, stood up straight looking less green. "So why don't you just head back to your compartment?"

He nodded and headed out the door, giving Victoire a longing look as he disappeared out of site, she didn't see it however because she was now focused on Albus and Rose.

"How are you two? Not too nervous I hope?" They both shook their heads, Albus had, what he hoped was, a calm smile on his face.

"Good, well I have to keep patrolling the train, so I'll see you at the feast." She left and the four younger students sat back into their seats. Albus and Rose turned to look at the boy and the girl.

"Hi," the boy said feebly. Then more confidently, "I'm Max, Max Cooper." He stuck out his hand to first Rose and then to Albus.

"And I'm Charlotte Hamon." She waved shyly. "But you can call me Lottie."

"I'm Rose Weasley and this is Albus Potter." Rose introduced them.

"Weasley? Potter? Are you two related to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley?" Max squinted his eyes at the two of them as if he could peer into them and see the answers.

"Um, yeah, their our dads," Albus looking questioningly at Rose, but she just shrugged. "How do you know our dads names?"

"Are you kidding me? Harry Potter! Ron Weasley! They only defeated Voldemort! Have you heard of him?"

"Of course we've heard of Voldemort," Rose said indignantly. Who hadn't, he had almost destroyed the wizarding world, wanting to enslave the muggles and gain control of everything. There had been a war and then a huge final battle at Hogwarts where he had been defeated.

"Harry Potter killed Voldemort!"

"I think my dad would have told me…" Albus looked over at Rose who, to his surprise, didn't look so convinced.

"Albus what about all the people who were staring at our family on the platform? Maybe Dad wasn't joking when he said he was famous."

The door of their compartment opened again, and the four of them looked up to see James standing there.

"Alright there Albus, Rose?" He nodded to the two of them. "Enjoying your last moments before being sorted into Slytheirn?" He smirked, but Albus was too distracted to acknowledge the insult.

"Is Dad famous?" His brother's smirk vanished. He considered his brother for a moment and then he sighed and sat down on Rose's seat and shifting his body so he was facing both of them.

"I didn't find out about it till last year either, Dad told me not to tell you or Lily. I think he doesn't want us to feel pressured. Like we need to live up to his fame or whatever." Albus stared at his hands without responding.

"Look, just send Moushi with a letter for Dad when we get to school. Ask him to explain it." Albus nodded slowly and James smiled at his little brother then stood. "I'm gonna head back to my friends, but you guys should get your wands out and start practicing so you'll have a chance of defeating the giant snake." He left laughing.

"Giant snake?" Lottie's face turned white. "We have to battle a giant snake?"

"He's not serious," Rose said impatiently.

"I don't know anything. I didn't even know I was a witch until a few months ago. My Dad's a lawyer and my Mum's a primary teacher." She looked anxious as she said this. "Is everyone going to know about magic but me?"

"No," Albus said firmly, "there are tons of muggleborns who go to Hogwarts, my Dad told me all about it."

"Yeah, and my Mum is muggleborn and my Dad told me she was the most brilliant student in their year." She smiled proudly.

Lottie looked hugely relieved and relaxed into her seat.

The rest of the trip was spent getting to know each other. It turned out the Max's father worked at the Ministry of Magic, which they spent a few moments explaining to Lottie about. He was also a fan of the Cudley Canons, which Rose approved of, but Albus didn't because his mother had played for the HolyHead Harpies. They then explained to Lottie about Quidditch. Everyone showed each other their new wands, all proudly saying what their cores were and how their wand chosen them.

Finally it was time for them to get changed into their school robes.

The train slowed to a stop and each of the occupants of the compartment gave each other weak smiles.

They made a line and then followed each other out of the train and onto the Hogsmeade platform. It had become night since they had left London, but the platform was lit brightly with lanterns.

"First years! First years this way!" Albus smiled when he heard the familiar voice. He looked through the steam from the train and saw a man who was twice the size of a normal man emerge through the mist holding a lantern. He heard the intake of breath from surprise behind him.

"Alrigh' there Albus?" Hagrid smiled down at him. "Rose?" They both nodded and Rose gave him a hug even though her head only came to the middle of his thigh.

"Alrigh' then, first years!" He stood where he was holding his lantern and bellowed until a small group had gathered around them. "Right then, follow me." Hagrid began to stride away and the small first years had to trot to keep up.

He led them down to the edge of a lake where about twenty boats were floating in the water.

"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called. Albus, Rose, Lottie and Max all climbed into one of the boats and sat patiently until all the boats had been filled. When the last student had clambered into their boat, the boats began to move across the water on their own. Albus looked around at Rose and she smiled, he saw Lottie wide eyed and taking everything in.

They could now see a giant castle; it's windows glowing against the fading light. It sat above the water and grew bigger as each minute went by. However, they soon lost sight of it as they were taken into a cave in the side of the embankment that the castle stood on. Albus thought they must be right under the castle.

The boats soon slowed down and stopped by a wide set of stairs that enabled all the boats to pull up close to it. The students clambered out and stood with their arms wrapped around themselves against the damp and chill of the cave.

Everyone was silent and waiting for what to do next when a door at the top of the stairs opened and familiar figure emerged.

"Hello children, my name is Professor Longbottom, I am the Herbology professor as well as head of Gryffindor house and deputy headmaster. If you'll all follow me," he exited through the door and the nervous students hurried after him.

Albus caught up to Professor Longbottom and smiled up at him.

"Hello Professor Longbottom." He said grinning, if felt weird to not call him Neville.

"Hello, Albus, Rose," he smiled and nodded to the pair of them. "Good trip on the train?" They nodded. "Good."

He led the group into the large entrance hall of the castle and then into a smaller room off to one side, and then left them for a moment. The students could hear the rumble of voices from behind two massive doors and they muttered amongst themselves.

"Albus." Rose tugged on his sleeve and pulled him into a corner. "I'm scared I won't get into Gryffindor." She looked on the verge of tears.

"I'll tell you a secret Rose, something my Dad told me right before I got on the train," she sniffed and waited. "He told me you can ask to be put in Gryffindor, he said _he_ asked the Sorting Hat when _he_ was a first year." Rose sniffed again and then smiled.

"Really?" Albus could see her relax and he smiled too.

Just then Professor Longbottom reentered the room and gestured for the students to follow him.

The students followed two by two and tentatively looked around the Great Hall when the doors opened and they walked down the centre aisle between two of four long tables. At the tables the older students of Hogwarts sat and watched the small procession of eleven year olds. Albus spotted his cousin Victoire, his brother James and a few other students that he already knew.

The line of students stopped in front of the head table where the teachers and staff sat. Hagrid slid into his place at the end of the table just as Professor Longbottom walked to the front of the line carrying a three-legged stool in one hand and a battered old hat in the other. He sat the hat on the stool and then stood back.

Albus looked around for what was going to happen next and he saw everyone still staring at the hat and so he looked back at it.

A slight tear at the brim of the hat opened and a few of the younger students gasped as the hat began to sing.

Welcome young ones to the Hall,

That produces the finest magic of all,

You have come to learn the age-old ways,

In these old stone walls and long school days,

Now it's my turn,

To tell you where you'll learn,

Are you Brave and true?

Gryffindor is where I'll put you,

Are you steadfast and loyal?

Hufflepuff is where you'll toil,

Are you levelheaded and clever?

Ravenclaw will fit you better,

Are you ambitious and cunning?

Slytheirn is your calling.

Now put me on your head,

And I'll see where you'll be lead!

The hat fell silent and the Great Hall burst into applause. Then Professor Longbottom pulled out a roll of parchment and began calling names.

"Anders, Timothy!" A small boy with short brown hair stumbled up to the stool and sat down. Professor Longbottom placed the hat on his head and it was so big it covered his eyes. There was silence for a few moments until…

"Hufflepuff!" The tear near the brim yelled. A table to the right cheered loudly and the small boy stood up and ran and sat down at the table looking relieved to be finished.

"Baker, William!" was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Cooper, Maxwell!" Max looked straight ahead and sat down on the stool looking slightly green. The hat fit down over his eyes as well. The hall was silent for a little while and then…

"Gryffindor!" The table at the far left of the hall burst into cheers and Albus saw his brother clapping enthusiastically.

A few more people went, and then –

"Hammond, Charlotte!" The tiny black haired girl walked quickly up to the stool and sat down. She was so tiny that the hat fit over her head and then came to a rest on her shoulders. After a few seconds –

"Gryffindor!" She grinned as the hat was lifted off her head and ran over to the Gryffindor table to sit beside Max.

Several more students were sorted. Scorpius Malfoy, who Albus' Uncle had pointed out of the platform, was sorted into Slytheirn without the hat even touching his head. Garret Notch was also sorted into Slytherin and Karen O'Neil was sorted into Hufflepuff. Then –

"Potter, Albus!" Albus took a deep breath and then carefully made his way up to the stool. He turned and got a glimpse of hundreds of eyes on him before the hat fell down past his eyes.

"Hello there Mr. Potter," Albus was surprised to hear. "You remind me of your father. I was quite torn whether to put him in Slytherin or Gryffindor, see he could have done great in either, just like you."

"I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor, eh? Well your father said the same thing. Hmmm well you Potters certainly know what you want. Alright then, Gryffindor!" The last word rung through the hall and as Professor Longbottom pulled the hat off his head Albus saw the Gryffindor table cheering. He beamed and hurried off to sit beside Lottie and Max.

He watched as a few more people were sorted until finally –

"Weasley, Rose!" She ran up to the stool grinning, she plopped down and the hat was placed briefly on her head before the hat yelled –

"Gryffindor!" A wave of relief went through Albus as he clapped for his friend and she ran and sat next to him.

A hush then fell over the hall. A tall dark haired man who was sitting in the middle of the head table rose and smiled at the students.

"Welcome to those of you who are new. And welcome back to those of you who have returned. My name is Professor Fenwick and I am the Headmaster here at Hogwarts. The rest of my announcements will be held until the end of the feast. Enjoy!" Just then the tables became very full with every kind of food imaginable.

Albus' eyes grew wide and he began to load his plate. The Hall was filled with sounds of cutlery in plates and the clinking of glasses. The food was very good. He remembered something about his aunt Hermione talking about the house elves that worked in the kitchens and prepared the food. Albus was impressed.

Soon everyone had eaten as much as their stomachs could hold and as the remains of desert disappeared from the tables leaving them as spotless and gleaming as they were before dinner had started, Professor Fenwick stood up again and held his hands up to quiet everyone down.

"So just the usual announcements. To our new students, you should know that the Forbidden Forest is in fact, forbidden, Hogsmeade is only for students years three and up and there is to be no magic used in the corridors. I would like to remind everyone that it is unadvisable to try and go near the Whomping Willow. You are now dismissed." He sat down and the level of noise in the Great Hall grew.

"First years!" Albus and Rose heard a voice calling, "Gryffindor first years over here." They saw Victoire beaconing them over to her. Max, Lottie, Albus, Rose and several others who were also Gryffindor first years grouped around her. "Ok follow me please."

They walked out of the Great Hall and up the staircase. Soon they had been walking through so many corridors and passages that Albus was lost. He tried to remember which left to take and which right would lead back to the Great Hall but the maze of turns added with his exhaustion made it impossible.

Soon they had reached a large painting of a large woman.

"Password?" She asked Victoire.

"Bludgers." The portrait swung forward and they climbed through a hole and into a cozy room, with deep red wall hangings and a fire crackling merrily in the hearth.

"Boys are up those stairs there," Victoire pointed to the left, "and girls there." She pointed to the right.

Albus said goodnight to Rose and Lottie and then he, Max, and three other first years walked up into their room.

Albus was just able to register that his belongs had already been brought up before he collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.


End file.
